Jeremy Poldark

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Jeremy Poldark
Jeremy Poldark first edition cover.png
Author Winston Graham
LanguageEnglish
Series Poldark
Publisher Ward Lock & Co
Publication date
1950
Publication placeCornwall
Preceded by Demelza  
Followed by Warleggan  

Jeremy Poldark is the third of twelve novels in Poldark , a series of historical novels by Winston Graham. It was published in 1950. [1]

Contents

Jeremy Poldark continues the story of the Poldark marriage and family. [2] The previous novel in the series ( Demelza ) ended on several dark notes in January 1790. Jeremy Poldark closes in June 1791, one month after the birth of the child for whom the novel is named. [3]

The events in Jeremy Poldark are the basis for Season 2, Episodes 1-4 in the television series adaptation launched in 2015 produced by the BBC.

During the course of the novel, Ross defends himself in court, sells his interest in Wheal Leisure, enters into partnership with a smuggler, deepens his quarrel with George Warleggan, continues his admiration of Elizabeth Poldark, grows in his understanding of Demelza's virtues, and mends his estrangement with Francis Poldark. Demelza earns the respect and admiration of Ross's social and family circles. Dwight Enys meets and falls in love with the lively heiress Caroline Penvenen, whose station in life is much above his. Jud Paynter dies and is resurrected. [3] [4]

Synopsis

Book One

Book One takes place over August and September 1790 in fourteen chapters. These are the main developments:

His daughter was dead, his cousin had betrayed him, his much-labored-over smelting scheme was in ashes, he faced charges in the criminal court for which he might well be sentenced to death or life transportation, and if by some chance he survived that, it would be only a matter of months before bankruptcy and imprisonment followed. But in the meantime, fields had to be sown and reaped, copper had to be raised and marketed, Demelza had to be clothed and fed and cherished--so far as it was in his scope to cherish anyone at this stage.

– Chapter 2

Book Two

Book Two covers December 1790 through June 1791 in fourteen chapters. [3]

"Just in St. Ann's I am, about me ordinary, proper, reasonable, human, respectable, decent, fair an' honest business when first I seen the two of 'em eyeing me as if I was a green goose ready for the Christmas pot. Ullo, I says. Footpads, I says. Or some such, I says. I'd best be off home, else they'll likely slit me throat when I aren't looking. Tes a crying shame," Jud went on, "what the country's coming to. Can't stir outside your own front door wi'out blackguards lying in wait. Tedn right. Tedn proper. Tedn fair."

– Chapter 16

Reception and analysis

Jeremy Poldark has been described as a "dazzling Cornish drama". [5]

Scholar Ellen Moody argues that "Winston Graham's historical fiction brings into focus areas and perspectives on experience essential to understanding the nature of civil liberty." Specifically in Jeremy Poldark, she notes that in the novel, "George can order a mine closed that Ross has shares in and force Ross and Henshawe (a partner) to fire miners or find jobs for them elsewhere because George wants bigger profits from investments, a loan from a friend could enable Ross to have the money to change the situation so that next time they would have 'freedom to call our souls our own'”. [6]

Citations

  1. Ellie Friedman and Joyce Carter (October 2014). "The Poldark Series by Winston Graham". National Library Service for the Blind and Disabled/Library of Congress. Retrieved 5 May 2020.
  2. "Works of Winston Graham" (PDF). In Profile: A Winston Graham Reader. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "Jeremy Poldark". Pan McMillan. Archived from the original on 11 August 2020. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  4. "Novels and Writing". Winston Graham: Author of Poldark. Archived from the original on 1 May 2021. Retrieved 28 July 2020.
  5. "Book review: Jeremy Poldark by Winston Graham". Lancashire Post. 14 September 2016. Retrieved 19 March 2022.
  6. Moody, Ellen (3–6 November 2011). ""'I have a right to choose my own life:' Liberty in Winston Graham's Poldark Novels"" (A Paper Delivered at a meeting of the East Central Region of American Society for Eighteenth Century Studies conference). Archived from the original on 24 January 2024. Retrieved 19 March 2022.{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)